Member Article

Warrington funding for solar panels on 1,500 homes

Warrington Borough Council’s executive board has approved a £5.25million capital investment to provide solar panels on 1,500 properties and three sheltered housing schemes.

The project is in partnership with Golden Gates Housing Trust and will mean tenants will save an estimated £233 per year on their energy bills.

The solar photovoltaic panels capture the sun’s energy and convert the sunlight into electricity. In July 2011 the council piloted this programme with GGHT and installed 623 properties with solar panels and it has been very successful. This will now be rolled out further. The funding for this project will come from the council’s capital programme.

Cllr Russ Bowden, executive board member for corporate resources and assignments, said: “There is a cost of living crisis across the country and this scheme is one of those win win opportunities. People have been facing substantial increases in energy bills over the last few years and this project will help to reduce the cost of these energy bills.

“The council will receive income which will fund the scheme and it will also provide local employment and training with four electrical apprentices, two tenant liaison officers and additional related job opportunities are expected.

“The council is facing a challenging financial climate and in these times of austerity measures introduced by the government this project can only go ahead because it is self-financing.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .